ACT II: SHATTERPOINT

22nd of the 1st Cycle

If one wants to cross the border between the Republic and Union, one must cross the Stone Gate.

Just beholding the colossal fortress, Aether could easily fathom how the Republic was able to ward off two northern Crusades and three other invasion attempts. At the same time, he could only question the sanity of Mondstadt's aristocrats at the time, for they must not have been of sound mind to smash their heads against the fortification over and over.

For to take the Stone Gate, you must take an entire mountain. The fortress was built into a natural archway in the southern mountain range spanning from Dragonspine to Qingce. Constructed of quarried stone, from a distance it appears that the fortress was carved from the mountain rock.

Well, in truth, the Republic has not been founded yet during the Fourth and Fifth Crusades - it was an old civilisation known as the Guili Assembly that first raised the Stone Gate to ward off Windic attacks. Ironically, their downfall did not stem from the north as they had expected, but instead from the east, when a sea god flooded the Bishui Plain and submerged most of the nation underwater.

Now, the Bishui River is a massive body of water closer to an inland sea, covering a massive area where the Bishui Plain was once located - with only small pieces of land still above water, in an area known as the Dihua Marsh.

Nevertheless, the Stone Gate had served purpose for thousands of years without fail - the fortress has never fallen, and it was easy to see why. Built into a mountain range, the Gate was impossible to surround and besiege - and its one north-facing wall was twenty feet thick and twice as tall. The wall face seemed to be carved from a single block of stone, with no grooves that would give away the use of bricks.

There was only one way to perfect such construction that he knew of, and that was through the use of Carnelian Sorcery.

A second, south-facing wall also used to exist, but was torn down after a Protectorate General declared himself king of the Gate. Since the Stone Gate was a vital bottleneck for both trade and military operations, both the Republic and Union formed a hasty alliance to besiege the Stone Gate. After years under siege, the soldiers of the Gate finally mutinied against the rebel general once rations had been exhausted.

After that, the soldiers handed the general over to the Republic on the south side, and the Millelith entered the fortress to occupy it. Of course, the Union felt betrayed by the action, and a small diplomatic spat occured, but knowing no good will come from warring with the Republic, their forces retreated back north. After this incident, the Millelith tore down the southern wall to ensure the Stone Gate could never be turned against them again.

The massive gate was large enough for four carriages to travel abreast, with three portcullises. Aether pulled his cloak over him as he waited in the queue, feeling the winter chill noticeably lessen the closer he got to the great fortress. The tide of merchants travelling north to Dawnton has long passed now, and the rush of travellers fleeing southwards to escape the cold has also subsided.

This meant the queue was quite short, and in little time the Stone Gate was bearing over him like a great beast.

"Hail, traveller!" a Millelith guard called, "Your purpose!?"

As far as he knew, the Gates weren't so actively guarded before - and so he chalked up the new procedures to their efforts in blocking Fatui fugitives from escaping to Liyue.

But this also posed a new issue for him. If he told them he was escaping the cold, they likely wouldn't believe him - that time has long passed the moons before, after all. Furthermore, since he was not a merchant, he couldn't justify travelling south for trade purposes.

Fortunately, there was another legitimate reason - one that he had researched and prepared beforehand.

"Hail!" he returned, "I am travelling south to catch the Rite of Descension!"

"You've started that journey quite late, most travellers start in fall!" the guard laughed, "What proof do you have of your legitimacy? My apologies for this, but lone riders must be thoroughly checked."

"Oh- no, of course I understand," Aether returned, before digging through his sack and retrieving a sealed scroll, "Here, will this suffice?"

The guard took a glance at the red seal, before his eyes visibly widened from behind the open helmet.

"The Ragnvindr seal… unbroken!" the guard quickly passed the scroll back to him, "My apologies sir, please - welcome to the Republic!"

"My thanks!" he laughed, before spurring his horse on forwards.

Quickly, the darkness of the gate tunnel enveloped him, the only sources of light being orange-flame torches on the walls. Looking around, he couldn't help but snort at how the Northern Protectorate had decided to decorate the tunnel.

Besides the great many murderholes, pitfalls, and arrow slits, were just as many broken shields. Shields and banners, hundreds of them, hanging from the walls and ceiling - cracked, torn and shattered, marred with dried blood and dirt. They bore the sigils of every army that had tried to assault the Stone Gate and were driven back - Aether spied the falcon of Ragnvindr and wolf of Imunlaukr, the great oak of Windrise, the windmill of Mondstadt, the Glacial Seal of Lawrence, the butterfly of Lohefalter, the white star of Goethe, and dozens more minor clans.

He even spotted the sigils of clans long extinct, the tower of the Castells and acorns of the Eichler - both clans dating back to the Tower. He saw the black lion of Rosenbach, yellow cross of Botzheim and a shattered shield bearing the heraldry of Venningen - all clans of Augenstadt. Here was the graveyard of armies, the end of dynasties.

Tearing his gaze away, Aether spurred his horse onwards and removed himself from the tunnel - shielding his eyes from the sudden sunlight. The Sun was setting now, dusk light blocked the towering mountains on either side of him, casting a great shadow that covered the entire settlement. Realising he would not get far in darkness, Aether resolved to stay the night. But first, he would have to navigate through the town.

Behind the Stone Gate's great wall was a sizable town, burgeoning from the new influx of weary travellers and merchants after the end of continental wars. Buildings were constructed on either side of the main road, crawling up the mountainsides like creeping vines - in a step-like manner - with many half-sunk into the rockface. Upon closer inspection, he spotted small blinking firelights emanating from small holes in the mountainside, as well as opening where thin lines of smoke escaped from. The entire mountain had been turned into a living space, Aether realised, for all he knew, the Stone Gate was not just a town but an entire subterranean city.

Looking back, he realised his initial inspection of the Stone Gate was vastly incorrect - the Gate was not just simply a wall, but an entire keep fitted in between the two peaks. It was a vast thing, it had to be, serving as the seat of the Northern Protectorate. Above the gate was a great wooden plank, carved into it the words '镇北都护府' - Protectorate General to Pacify the North. If Aether recalled rightly, there was a western counterpart as well.

These Protectorates essentially serve as military governments separate from the central government in Liyue City. Considering the Republic's vast territory, it was sensible to allocate military resources to local authorities so as to not overstretch and thin the central government's own authority - trusting the Protectorates to act as an extension of their power. The system worked for the most part, but the threat of a Protectorate becoming too powerful was always an omnipresent threat.

Aether quickly found a passerby and asked for directions to the nearest inn or homestay, and the kindly person pointed him to a nearby building directly adjacent to the road.

The inn was squat and homely, with beautiful red columns and green-tiled curved roof. The sound of laughter and clinking porcelain could be heard from inside as he stepped onto the porch, ducking underneath the paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling. A bell chimed when he opened the door and walked in, drawing some curious gazes to his obviously foreign face.

Inside, there were mostly Windics and the flat-faced Liyueans - eating and sharing tables with each other.

At the counter was a tired, yet lively looking young woman - he strode up to her.

"Hello," he greeted, "How much is a room for a night."

"Sixty mora, do you want breakfast in the morning?"

"No thank you, could you get someone to tend to my horse outside?"

"Sixty-five mora."

Aether reached into his pack and dropped sixty-five mora into the innkeeper's hands. After counting, she pocketed the money and smiled - before reaching below the counter and retrieving a key.

"Up the stairs, third room to the right," she told him as she handed him the key, "Enjoy your night."

"Likewise."

26th of the 1st Cycle

Winter was far more tame south of the Stone Gate.

Thanks to the mountain range obstructing the boreal winds from the north, and the ever present warm sea-winds blowing from the Qiongji Estuary in the east, the cold was incredibly mild. So mild, in fact, that he was forced to take off his heavy fur cloak that he had gotten used to - and he had to admit, the sudden lack of familiar weight on his shoulders was discomforting.

Nevertheless, he was also grateful for the winter, for while the wet chill was an irritation at best, it was still cold enough to freeze the Dihua Marsh over - allowing for painless travel. The entire Bishui Plain used to be the heartlands of an ancient civilisation dating back to the Archon Wars, but a destructive war ended up with the entire plain submerged underwater. What's left is a vast inland sea, and a great swampland right in the centre of it.

As he was travelling in a caravan, he was able to overhear some merchants talking about how fortunate they were to be on the road at this time. Apparently, the Dihua Marsh is a living hell to travel through in the warmer months, when the water would get stagnant and plague becomes a real threat. To facilitate trade, the government - the Liyue Qixing - had funded the construction of a massive stone causeway spanning the entire marsh, but in recent times the causeway had come to a depressing state of disrepair.

This meant that most merchants preferred to travel in the beginning of winter, when the ground had frozen over and the cold still wasn't too terrible - allowing for convenient movement. Aether thought back to the Liyuean merchant he had met in Dawnton, who explained that they crossed into the Union in advance in order to catch the first spring harvest. He must've also started his journey in the beginning of winter.

It was certainly ironic, Aether mused, that the curse of winter so prevalent in the north was more of a mild blessing in the south.

There were three main islands in the marsh, and the caravan came to a rest at the northernmost island - where there was a small trade outpost built around a Statue of the Seven. The outpost used to be a small resting point for traders coming up and down the Stone Road, but after centuries a small permanent town was raised in the location by locals to make money off the travelling merchants.

As such, nearly every house in the town was a homestay, and there were many more inns and taverns than any other kind of business.

As the caravan began to disperse, Aether steered his horse away from the main mass of buildings and made his way to the Statue near the western edge of the town.

As he approached the structure, he could tell it was well cared for - the stone was smooth and polished, the plated gold trim glimmering under the setting Sun. A far cry from the Statue he had encountered at Starfell Lake, certainly, which was well in disrepair and crumbling away.

Once again, upon the gold plaque he could make out the inscribed words;

MORAX

GEO ARCHON

Another land, another god indeed. This time, the sculpted figure depicting the Geo Archon was a well-carved man with a linen shawl and loincloth. He sat upon a solid stone throne, grasping in a hand a glowing cube of bronze.

Aether placed his hand on the plaque, closing his eyes and drawing forth his powers. Creating thin veins of starlight, he reached deep into the Statue and began feeling around for the same manner of distinctive Elemental energy he had come across in the Statue at Starfell Lake. Just like the last time, he was swiftly able to sense and grasp the feeling, wrapping around the energy and attempting to pull it out of the Statue.

Unlike Anemo, which had flowed out without resistance, the energy which he presumed was Geo remained static, as if anchored to the Statue.

Aether had to wonder, was this simply due to the manner of Element? There was sense in thinking that Anemo would be free flowing and assentive due to its nature, and that Geo would be static and immoving for much the same reason. Yet, he also couldn't help but think that perhaps the Archon had a role to play as well.

The Anemo Archon was a character as languid and drifty as the Element he ruled over, and perhaps was why Aether was able to attain Anemo from his Statue so easily. However, if the Geo Archon held much the same attributes as the Element he ruled over - Geo - then perhaps the Archon wasn't so keen on surrendering the energy over to Aether. After all, Aether had first wondered why Barbatos so easily gave him the power inside the Statue when he first attained it.

Inwardly, Aether bemoaned never asking the god about it when he had the chance.

And now he was left with a dilemma; should he attempt to force out the energy which he needed - which he needed to unseal his powers - under the assumption that it was a natural matter that Geo would resist his coaxing? Even if there may be the chance that this isn't a natural occurrence, and that he was actively being stymied by the Geo Archon - who he may severely anger if he attempts to force out the energy?

Aether wasn't the kind of individual who thinks in advance - he usually leaves the planning to his sister - but currently, as weak as he is, he has no choice but to go through the worst case scenario before he does anything considerable - especially, especially, when it comes to the divine.

In the Land of Wind, he did not think of anything beyond defending himself when he was warding off the Dragon of the East - a mistake he could've paid with his material form. Granted, in his defence he had no prior knowledge of the cultures and people of the Land of Wind.

Unfortunately, the answer was simple enough - he had no choice. Aether cannot wait around hoping the Geo Archon would come to him so he could explain himself - no, his first and foremost objective is to unseal all of his powers. If that meant antagonising the Geo Archon, so be it.

Aether wrapped his threads of starlight around the formless mass of energy once more, and pulled.

A golden river of energy poured out of the Statue and onto the ground, where it coalesced into a manner of bronze cube. Picking it up with a hand, Aether found it to be hard and solid - yet brittle - so he crushed the cube in his palm and let the Geo be absorbed.

He waited - waiting for the energy to settle inside him so he could feel the telltale sensation of a seal breaking. The Geo came into contact with the Anemo already present, coming together like two old friends - and then the seal broke.

And it all went wrong.

Aether choked, feeling his second heart palpitate at dangerous speeds, his chest cramping. In a flash of bleary realisation, he realised just how exactly the seals worked - they did not stop his power entirely, simply stop him from receiving the cosmic energy. The seals were like a dam, and now the dam was suddenly broken and all the restrained energy he had been producing unconsciously was flooding into his physical system in a tide too large and powerful to control.

And it was overwhelming him.

Starlight flooded his veins, his organs, his brain. For the first time since arriving in Teyvat, Aether hastily removed himself from his body so that his mental faculties wouldn't be disrupted by his failing cerebrum - entering his astral form. He watched in an out-of-body experience as his material form collapsed onto the ground, skin fracturing like overheated clay - streams of golden starlight leaking into the air. His veins were visible through his skin as well, shining bright gold - and his entire body was lit like a lamp.

There was no denying it, his material form was breaking down right in front of him - disintegrating right before his formless eyes.

And all he could wonder was - why the second seal? Why was the second seal individually retaining so much energy? Shouldn't all seven seals be retaining the same amount? Was it a conscious decision by the god who did this, or was it related to Geo and the Geo Archon?

Aether snapped himself out of it, he could muse over theurgy at a later date - his first priority should be saving his body before he found himself without one.

His astral form dove back into his body - and his mind was immediately enveloped in chaos and turmoil. His gut roiled and his senses swam - he heard all the colours of the cosmos as his heart beat so quickly that it burned.

It burned.

Aether released a silent scream as his nerves were scorched to less than ash as pure, unfiltered starlight - sunlight - burnt straight through every system in his body.

"Gaahhhh…" he moaned, trying to wrestle his faculties back into a manageable state.

He may be a cosmic being, incapable of feeling heat or cold - but his body was most certainly mortal, and he felt everything his body felt.

Aether worked his jaw, blinking rapidly as he spat snow and dirt out of his mouth - his face was planted firmly into the ground, he realised. Wrestling a disintegrating arm into control, he lifted himself into all fours, heaving greatly.

Think, he internally screamed at himself, think! How do you get out of this situation?

If the seal was a dam… then his body is a river - a currently flooding river. And how do you lower the water level of a flooding river?

You divert the water somewhere else.

Aether forced the starlight into six streams out of his back - gritting his teeth as he felt the searing heat slowly perforate through flesh and muscle, before finally breaking out of his skin and erupting in six gouts of golden flame. Closing his eyes, he began to mould this excess energy into another ability he had sorely missed - his wings.

Slowly - gradually - the six geysers began to weaken and smoothen, the flames losing its licking plumes and fashioning into a more definite shape.

Feeling satisfied at the diminished burning sensation, Aether pushed himself back into his astral form to inspect how his body was faring from a more clinical view. Circling around his hunched over form, he saw that the six geysers of flame had been formed into six splendid glassy wings in the similar manner of a dragonfly's.

But it was not enough.

His wings were acting as a conductor for the excess energy to bleed into the air, but it was not enough. His body was still dying - albeit slower - but it was still dying, Aether had only bought himself some time.

Sinking back into his body, Aether began to scan through all of his physical systems. He needed another outlet as soon as possible, one where it wouldn't cause too much damage - and if possible, another beneficial location, such as his back.

Legs… chest… head… head!

Ears, mouth, nose… no- eyes!

Aether sucked in a deep breath, then pushed all the starlight into his closed eyes. He waited as he felt the pressure quickly begin to build behind his eyelids, before opening his eyes- and the world went white. Blinding, burning white.

And he felt something break.

Was there another seal over my eyes?

But there was not time to think- the excess starlight was pouring out of his eyes like a tide, blinding him in the process, yet he could feel relief building as the energy began to drain from him. Gradually, his internal systems began to work again as the pent energy was removed.

He knelt there, on all fours, for what seemed to be eon - just waiting for the energy to drain out of him, like pouring water out a kettle.

When it finally stopped, Aether heaved, breathing in the very warm air - and taking in the scent of ozone lingering in the air.

He opened his eyes - and saw.

For the first time since arriving in Teyvat, he felt like he could see, as if there was a blindfold- as if was blind until now.

He saw the energies, the elements, and the Elements all around him, lingering in the earth and air - the building blocks of an artificial world. He saw past the Sky- and beheld the False Sky far above, the great dome retaining mortal ignorance. It was a sight he had only seen once upon arriving in Teyvat, at the peak of the Tower. And he saw the corpses, corpses of mortal and divine nature, their draining life force feeding the land and flourishing.

Aether clambered to his feet, brushing a hand over his cracked and steaming skin - lathering a layer of starlight mixed with Geo in order to mend it. He experimentally flexed his wings, and found them too weak to take flight - he reckoned that he still had a seal over his wings, and was only able to bypass the barrier in a fractionate amount.

He huffed, releasing the energy that kept his wings formed - dispersing the appendages on his back.

Blinking wearily and rubbing his eyes, Aether pulled back his hand to reveal molten gold upon it - it seems he had been weeping.

A thought struck at him - what had just transpired certainly wasn't subtle. Even now, he could see the snow melted all around him, and frozen ground turned back to marsh. The air boiled, and golden motes of light still lingered - not to mention that nary a few moments ago his body was glowing like an oil lantern.

And yet, there was no one around him.

It was not that dark either, the Sun was still setting upon the horizon, only half dipped.

So while he felt relieved at not having to explain himself, he couldn't help but wonder - where was everyone?

It was silent, too silent. There was not the whistle of the wind, the chitter of insects nor the chirping of birds. A tension began to build in him, one that slowly began to peak as an unexplainable sensation overcame him.

Aether stared at his right palm, pushing a few streams of starlight through his skin and coalescing in his palm. To give it shape, he tapped into his newfound Geo energy, mixing it with the starlight - muddying the once pure gold glimmer into a duller kind of bronze. He willed it to elongate into a long haft, before topping it with a sharpened head of Geo and Anemo.

In his hand, where there was once nothing, was a six feet long spear.

Aether spun around, pointing the spear at the figure behind him.

The figure pointed his own spear back at him, the green jade edge directly under his chin and at his throat - drawing golden blood.

"I've heard of the illuminated beasts," he mused, "But you aren't just any illuminated beast, are you?"

"State your intentions, outlander," the god growled.

Rewritten on 21/6/2022